Air heating and conditioning system



Dec. 11,1934 J. N. LEWELLEN AIR HEATING AND CONDITIONING SYSTEM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1932 I NVEN T UR JZssE #0545 LEWELLE/V,

TTONYS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1934 'NFTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for heating and ventilating.

The chief object of this invention is to provide apparatus of thecharacter indicated, which will efficiently humidify the air in abuilding structure equipped with said apparatus and which willefficiently heat said air if and when heat is desired.

The chief feature of the invention consists in the novel arrangement ofthe apparatus for accomplishing the aforesaid object.

Other features of the apparatus will appear more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view and approximately acentral sectional view.

Fig. 2 is a partially plan and partially sectional view and is taken inthe plane 2-2 of Fig. 1 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical side sectional view of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the water supply automaticcontrol apparatus.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a quarter of the rotary, filter.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the air circulating mechanismand the power means therefor and is taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3 and inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged front view of the fuel supplying portion of theapparatus.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the drain structure embodied inthe ventilating portion of the device.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the two opposite sides of the outer casingof the heating and ventilating structure. 11 indicates the front of saidcasing and 12 the rear of said casing. Near the upper end of the rear ofsaid casing is an air intake 13. Positioned forwardly thereof is apartition 14 having a forward and upwardly directed portion 15 and alower rearwardly directed portion 16, the latter being spaced above thebase 1'7.

Positioned beneath the channel 18 formed between the rear wall 12 of thecasing and'the partition 14 is a rotary screen or filter 20 carried byshaft 19. A motor 21 drives a suitablereduction unit 22 and saidreduction unit has a shaft 23 which mounts a driving pulley 24 in turndriving the shaft 19 through the pulley 25, and belt 26. Said shaft 23also mounts a pulley 27 driving a belt 28 which drives another pulley 29carried by the shaft 30, said shaft 30-see Figs. 3 and 6- terminating ina bevel pinion 31 driving a bevel gear 32 for rotating an air impeller33 supported as at 34 and driven by said support.

The device is shown as of the suction type. 5 However, the blast orpressure type may be preferred. When utilized it would be mounted in theintake 13 instead of the outlet 35 of the air system. Blast or pressuretype does not have the disadvantage that with a leak in the combustion 1chamber, tubes, etc., the exhaust and heated gases would foul orcontaminate the circulating air. In the claims, the term impellercontemplates either type.

The air impeller 33 is positioned in a chamber 35 and said chamberincludes a downwardly directed conical portion 36 and the peripheralside wall of the chamber is provided with a plurality of outlets 37 fromwhich the moistened, and if desired, heated air is discharged to thevarious rooms of the building structure.

The rotary screen-see Figs. 2, 3 and 5includes a pair of side plates 38and the same are supported by the shaft 19 adjacent the side walls 10 ofthe outer casing and said shaft 19 may project through both sides of thecasing and does project through one side of the casing, as shown in thelower middle left hand portion of Fig. 1.

Each side plate or circular disc 38 may be provided with the openings 39to lessen the weight of therotary screen or filter. Connecting the sideplates 38 is a pair of spaced concentric cylindrical metal screens 40and 41 and therebetween is included a suitable material 43. This may bein the form of copper wool, asbestos fibre, felt, or other suitablefibre. Extending between the plates 38 and supported at each endthereby, is a plurality of buckets arranged in spaced relation andindicated by the numeral 44 of Fig. 5. These buckets are arranged totrap a certain proportion of the moistening liquid and carry it upwardlyin the rotation of the rotary screen or filter and discharge the liquidto the fibrous filter for maintaining the same moist.

Positioned beneath the rotary filter and closing the lower end of theair intake channel 18 see Fig. 3 is a trough 45 and said trough is ofhopper formation and the inclined sides at thelower level terminate in awell 46 and communicating therewith is a waste or dischargeline 4'7. Thecommunication between the well and the discharge line 47 is controlledby a valve 48 actuated by an arm 49 having an exposed end 50 which -maybe either manually operated and directly or remotely or may beperiodically and mechanically operated by a time control mechanism ofsuitable character.

7 Positioned at one side of the trough is a chamber 51, the lower end ofwhich communicates with a supply pipe 52 manually controlled by a valve53 and automatically controlled by a valve 54, the stem 55 of whichmounts a float 56, said-float having an extension 5'? slidably supportedin the bracket 58 and mounting upon its upper end a stop 59. The commonwall 60 between the chamber 51 and the trough or reservoir 45 includesan elongated aperture 61 which insures that the level of the liquid inchamber 51 is the same as that in the trough or reservoir 45.

The screen or filter structure, as will be apparent from Figs. 2 and 3,is mounted in the reservoir or trough 45 and completely blocks thelateral passage 62 positioned immediately beneath partition portion 16and the upper edge of the trough, the trough forming the bottom of theair intake passage 18 as before set forth. The filter structure rotatesin the trough and, therefore, is maintained moist and the air is suckedthrough the filter from the intake 18 and thence is sucked out from theinterior of the screen into passage 62. The heavier particles, such asdust and dirt, are deposited on the screen and are held by the moistenedfibre and in the rotation of the screen, said particles are washedtherefrom while that portion of the screen is immersed in the liquid inthe trough or reservoir. The clean air passes into the screen, as beforementioned, and then passes out through the same. So that, as it passesthrough, it takes up moisture and the air is humidified so that moistair is supplied to the passage 62. Whenever the level of the liquidfalls, the level of float 56 falls until such time as valve 54 opens theline 52, providing valve 53 has been opened and the supply has beenregulated. As soon as the desired level has been reached by the incomingliquid supply-such as water under pressurethe float which has risen withthe level of the water, closes the valve 54 and cuts off further supplyto the reservoir.

If and when desired or automatically at predetermined intervals, aspreviously set forth, the handle 50 may be actuated and the dump valve48 opened to dump or completely discharge the water or liquid in thereservoir. This is required because the water becomes dirty and muddyand the screen would not be self cleaning for long operation. The dirtand grit which is separated by the screen or filter and is then washedtherefrom, slides from the inclined sides 45 and collects in the well 46so that the initial dumping action secures the removal of thisaccumulated sediment and the continued discharge of the trough waterincluding the suspended dirt, fully Of course, while valve, 48 iscleansthe well. opened, valve 54 would be opened but since the rate of flow isnot equal, it may be considered that the entire reservoir contents aredischarged. When the valve 48 is closed, the valve 54 will remain openuntil the previous predetermined level is obtained in the reservoir.

' While the direction of rotation is indicated as being toward theoutlet of the air intake, the direction may be reversed and then thebuckets would be reversed, and in this instance, the air passing intothe rotary screen would pass out through it after the deposited dirt hadbeen washed from the screen surface. Either form will operatesatisfactorily and both are contemplated as a part of this invention.

Moistened air that is supplied to intake 62 passes along two sides ofthe fire b'ox, indicated generally by the numeral 63, and into the sidepassages 64. Side passages 64 are connected at the front of the furnacestructure by the passage 65. The air in the passages 64 contacts thesides of the superheater unit indicated by the numeral 66. Condensatefrom the air collects on the inclined bottom 167 and discharges throughan dutlet 68 to the drain or waste 47. Any suitable type of trap may beincluded in the line 68. The air after passing from passage 62 throughthe passages 64 and into the forward unitingpassage 65, passesrearwardly through the superheater unit through a plurality of paralleland horizontally arranged spaced conduits 66 and into an upwardlydirected passage 67 which communicates at its upper end 68 with thechamber 35 before mentioned-see Fig. 3.

The fire box 63 includes an inner shell 69 and the same constitutes theheat producing chamber. The top is formed by the sheet 70 and extendinupwardly therefrom is a plurality of fire tubes '71. The fire tubes 71terminate at 72 immediately beneath a sheet or blocking plate 73, thelatter having downwardly directed baffles 74 defining a passage 75 thatcommunicates with a chamber '76 thereabove. Said chamberterminates in asmoke pipe 77 controlled by a check valve '18 operated by arm 80 and thecable 81 which is connected to the draft damper on the furnace proper.These may be manually controlled as is customary with hot air furnacesor thermostatically and automatically controlled as well as timecontrolled as is also customary in hot air furnaces, said controlsforming no portion of said device, but being supplied for use therewithwhen desired or required.

The chamber formed between portions 69 and 63 and within the portion 63superposed above plate 70, constitutes a heat transferring chamber andis adapted to receive water which constitutes in a sense insulation forthe fire box and also constitutes a superheater arrangement in that thewater is heated by heated gases rising or escaping from the fire box,the heat in the gases passing directly to the water through the walls ofthe fire tubes '11. The heat from the water is abstracted by the air inthe passages 65 and 64 and by the air in the tubes 66 as well as the airin the passage 67.

Direct passage of the flue gases-see Fig. 1is not possible from tube '72to smoke pipe '77, but must engage plate 73 and pass out through passage75. Whatever ash deposit accumulates below plate '73 and above plate 173may be removed through the clean-out opening 82see the upper right handportion of Fig. 3. The-water supply to the superheating chamber is notshown herein. However, it may be manually or automatically controlled.

To comply with underwriter requirements, a vent 83 is providedcontrolled by a relief valve 84 and the same discharges by line 85 tothe waste 4'7-see lower right hand portion of Fig. 3.

Also,'to prevent accidental flooding, an overflow outlet 201 from thetrough is provided-see Fig. 1--which connects to a T fitting 200 in thewaste line 85.

lower of which is provided with a plurality of.

perforations 8'7. Said plates form the passage 86 and herein a pair ofconduits 88 communicate at their inner ends with said passage 88 andtheir outer ends are provided with flap valves 89. These may becontrolled as by the mechanism 90, in turn controlled manually or by athermostat controlled mechanism. When a hot fire is desired, the valves89 are opened and complete combustion takes place and the rate ofburning is accelerated. When a low fire is desired, the valves 89 areclosed and the fire is just maintained.

To prevent excessive humidification, a depending screen 203 isinterposed in the air intake passage and drains into trough 60. Surplusmoisture is removed from the air.

The combustion chamber is indicated at 91 in Fig. 3 and an opening 92thereto is closed by a door 93. This doormounts a bolt 94 controlled bya lever 95. Lever 95 is connected to a cable 96, see Fig. '7, whichcable is connected (not shown) to the damper-78 by the line 81, see Fig.1, and is also adapted to be connected to the arm 50 of the flush ordump valve so thatevery time the furnace is fired, the flush valve willbe opened for dumping and the damper will be closed.

The front plate 104 of the furnace includes openings 105 through whichthe circular bearings 106 extend. Each terminates in a squared portion107 and said squared portions are associated with crank arms 108 andherein a common cross member 109 is connected to the free ends of eachcrank arm and said cross member is reciprocated by a lever 110. When thelever 110 is oscillated, bar 109 is reciprocated and all of the crankarms 108 are simultaneously oscillated.

Since each of. the lugs 98 and 100 are of segmental formation, all ofthe movable grate bars will move in the same direction and the lugs ofadjacent bars will pass each other or will pass the stationary lugs-ofthe stationary grate bars. However, there is no possibility of the fuelgetting under any lug from an adjacent grate bar because of the depth orsegmental character of the lugs. The fuel bed, when the lever 110 isoscillated, is agitated and the fine ash is broken up and sifts throughthe spaces between the interlocking or intermeshing lugs on the adjacentgrate bars. The fine ash collects in the ash pit and may be withdrawnthrough the ash door 111.

The invention claimed is:--

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an airsupply passage, a rotary tubular filter therein, a trough in which thefilter rotates and arranged to close the passage so that air passingthrough the intake must pass twice through the filter periphery, andmeans interposed in the passage beyond the filter for removing surplusmoisture from the;air.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an air.supply passage, a rotary tubular filter therein, a trough in which thefilter rotates and arranged to close the passage so that air passingthrough the intake must pass'twice through the filter periphery, a drainfor the trough and means interposed in the passage beyond the filter forremoving surplus moisture from the air, and draining to said troughdrain.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an airsupply passage, an absorbent rotary tubular filter therein, a trough insaid passage forming a part thereof, said filter being nested in thetrough and completely closing the passage above the trough and extendingentirely across the same for compelling air passage into, through andout of said filter, and bucket means within the filter and positionednear the periphery thereof to discharge trough liquid to the absorbentportion of the filter above the liquid in'the trough, and in the filterrotation.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an airsupply passage, an absorbent rotary tubular filter therein, a trough insaid passage forming a part thereof, said filter being nested in thetrough and completely closing the passage above the trough and extendingentirely across the same for compelling air passage into, through andout of said filter, bucket means within the filter and positioned nearthe periphery thereof to discharge trough liquid to the absorbentportion of the filter above the liquid in the trough, and in the filterrotation, means for supplying liquid to the trough, float valve meansfor controlling the same, other and larger valve means for quicklydischarging the trough contents, the discharge being at a greater ratethan the supply thereto whereby upon substantial emptying of the troughthe float valve controlled supply flushes the trough until said othervalve means is closed.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an airsupply passage, a rotary tubular filter therein, a trough in saidpassage forming a part thereof, said filter being nested in the troughand completely closing the passage above the trough and extendingentirely across the same for compelling air passage into, through andout of said filter, means for supplying liquid JESSE NOBLE LEWELLEN.

